1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera for shooting a movie picture and, a still picture, and in particular, to a camera having a function of a still camera using, for example, a silver-halide type of photographic film and a function of a video camera utilizing a video tape.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been a requirement for a television camera with a video tape recording function to record a particular scene in the form of a still picture during a shooting operation of a video camera. Conventionally, a still camera using a silver-halide film and a separate video camera using a video tape are carried about in such a case where when a scene suitable for a still picture appears during a shooting of the video camera, the operation of the video camera is interrupted to take the still picture by use of the still camera. In this situation, two units have to be used and in the shooting of the still camera, the operation of the video camera is required to be interrupted, which leads to a disadvantage that an important shooting chance may be lost.
To solve the problems above, there is desired a camera for shooting a movie picture and a still picture configured in a single unit including a combination of a still camera and a video camera such that a still picture can be taken through an operation of the still camera without interrupting the shooting operation of the video camera. In such a camera, the functions associated with the still and movie pictures are required to be achieved at the same time. Consequently, a satisfactory operability is necessary, namely, so-called auto-focus and auto-iris operations must be effected.
Such a camera, with consideration to portability thereof, is desired to be configured such that when a unit shooting a still picture and a unit to take a video picture are combined, the overall contour thereof is smooth in the surfaces thereof as compared with an ordinary camera and that operating or handling means of the still camera unit and the video camera unit can be appropriately and readily manipulated by two hands or by a single hand.
Furthermore, the video camera unit includes a portion to install therein a video cassette which must be provided with an opening through which a video cassette is loaded or removed. However, in a shooting operation with the camera held by both hands, there may results deformation in the portion in which the video cassette is installed through an operation to grasp the portion, thereby deteriorating the stability in holding the camera. As a consequence, the strength and stability of the camera are also required to be taken into consideration.
Furthermore, when the camera is used outdoors, it is necessary to protect such portions exposed in the surface of the casing, for example, as the portion to install a video cassette and a portion to change a film in the still camera unit from dust and rain drops in a rainy day.
Moreover, when recording a movie picture, in cases, for example, where a portion of a video cassette tape not used in previous use is employed for the recording operation and where the recording operation takes a long period of time, a spare cassette is to be prepared. However, since the camera itself is not, in general, provided with a location to mount the spare cassette, a separate cassette case is required. As a result, in cases where the remaining tape volume becomes insufficient and where the tape is entirely used up, the operation to change the cassette takes a long period of time, which leads to a problem that a recording chance may be lost; furthermore, since the user makes haste for the film change, there may occur a case where a tape cassette already recorded is mistakenly installed.